Flexible skirt construction for a vacuum cleaning nozzle and the like

ABSTRACT

In combination with a nozzle construction for a vacuum cleaning operation, a separate member having a body portion detachably secured to the nozzle construction and having a flexible wall surrounding the inlet of the nozzle construction and outboard of the same to have one side thereof engage against a surface means around the inlet to substantially seal the inlet of the nozzle construction to the surface means. The flexible wall is so constructed and arranged that a pressure differential acting across the same and resulting from a vacuum pump drawing fluid from the surface means into the inlet of the nozzle construction is adapted to cause the flexible wall to be urged toward the surface means to substantially seal against the same around the inlet and substantially conform to the contour of the surface means outboard of the nozzle construction.

United States Patent 1 Candor FLEXIBLE SKIRT CONSTRUCTION FOR A VACUUMCLEANING NOZZLE AND THE LIKE [76] Inventor: James T. Candor, 5440Cynthia Ln.,

Dayton, Ohio 45429 [22] Filed: Feb. 8, 1972 Appl. No.: 224,484

Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hornsby Assistant Examiner-C. K. Moore 1 Dec.25, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT In combination with a nozzle construction for avacuum cleaning operation. a separate member having a body portiondetachably secured to the nozzle construction and having a flexible wallsurrounding the inlet of the nozzle construction and outboard of thesame to have one side thereof engage against a surface means around theinlet to substantially seal the inlet of the nozzle construction to thesurface means. The flexible wall is so constructed and arranged that apressure differential acting across the same and resulting from a vacuumpump drawing fluid from the surface means into the inlet of the nozzleconstruction is adapted to cause the flexible wall to be urged towardthe surface means to substantially seal against the same around theinlet and substantially conform to the contour of the surface meansoutboard of the nozzle construction.

16 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures FLEXIBLE SKIRT CONSTRUCTION FOR A VACUUMCLEANING NOZZLE AND THE LIKE This invention relates to an improvedflexible skirt construction for a vacuum cleaner nozzle as well as to animproved combination of such flexible skirt construction with such avacuum cleaner nozzle.

It is well known from the patent to Candor et al., No. 3,605,171, issuedSept. 20, 1971, that a vacuum cleaner nozzle construction can beprovided wherein a flexible wall extends outwardly from the supportmeans of the nozzle construction to provide a means for sealing to asurface means being cleaned completely around the inlet means of thenozzle means so that such flexible wall will conform to the contour ofthe surface means to be cleaned outboard of the inlet of the nozzleconstruction even though irregularities are being provided by thesurface means, such as at the juncture between a rug and a floorreceiving such rug.

However, it has been found according to the teachings of this inventionthat such prior nozzle construction did not provide any way for adaptingthe features of that invention to conventional nozzle constructionswhich are utilized with present day vacuum cleaners. In fact, it isrealized that the number of different styles and shapes of vacuumcleaner nozzle constructions now in use and being continuouslyredesigned and produced by the various vacuum cleaner manufacturers isso vast that a standarized nozzle construction is substantiallynon-existent.

Therefore, it is a feature of this invention to provide a flexible skirtconstruction that can be utilized with a particular style of vacuumcleaner nozzle construction.

It is also a feature of this invention to provide a flexible skirtconstruction that can be utilized with a plurality of different types ofvacuum cleaner nozzle constructions.

In particular, one embodiment of this invention provides a flexibleskirt construction for use with a conventional nozzle construction for avacuum cleaning operation or the like wherein such conventional nozzleconstruction has a support means provided with an outlet to beinterconnected to a vacuum pump and an inlet to be disposed adjacent asurface means to be cleaned thereby, the flexible skirt constructionhaving a body portion adapted to be detachably secured to the nozzleconstruction and having a flexible wall adapted to surround the inlet ofthe nozzle construction to have one side thereof engage against thesurface around the inlet to substantially seal the inlet of the supportmeans to that surface means. The flexible wall is so constructed andarranged that a pressure differential is adapted to act across the samewhich results from a vacuum pump means drawing fluid from the surfacemeans into the inlet and out through the outlet of the opening means andis adapted to cause the flexible wall to be urged toward the surfacemeans to substantially seal against the same around the inlet andsubstantially conform to the contour of the surface means outboard ofthe inlet of the nozzle construction. The body portion of the flexibleskirt construction of this invention can be so constructed and arrangedthat the same is adapted to be detachably secured to only a particulartype of conventional nozzle construction or can be so constructed andarranged that the same is adapted to be acceptable to a variety ofdifferent types 'of conventional nozzle constructions.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedflexible skirt construction for use with a vacuum cleaner nozzleconstruction or the like, the flexible skirt construction of thisinvention having one or more of the novel features set forth above orhereinafter shown or described.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from areading of this description which proceeds with reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of one embodiment of the flexible skirtconstruction of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the flexible skirt construction ofFIG. 1 being utilized in combination with a particular, conventionalvacuum cleaner nozzle construction.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view similar to FIG. 1 and illustratesanother embodiment of the flexible skirt construction of this invention.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 and illustrates the flexible skirtconstruction of FIG. 4 being utilized with one of a plurality of typesof conventional vacuum cleaner nozzle constructions, FIG. 5 illustratingin phantom lines substantially the normal expanded shape of the flexibleskirt construction before the same is attached to the vacuum cleanernozzle construction.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter describedas being particularly adaptable for being secured to conventional vacuumcleaner nozzle constructions, it is to be understood that the variousfeatures of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combinationthereof to provide flexible skirt constructions for other types ofnozzle constructions or the like as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodimentsillustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized toillustrate some of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, one embodiment of the flexible skirtconstruction of this invention is generally indicated by the referencenumeral 10 and comprises a body portion 11 formed of relatively rigidmaterial, such as a relatively thick plastic material adapted to slipover and be snap fitted to the body or support portion 12 of aconventional vacuum cleaner nozzle construction 13, such as by having acooperating groove means 14 thereof snap fittingly receiving a flangemeans 13 or other external abutment means of the support means 12therein as illustrated in FIG. 3 so that the body portion 11 of theflexible skirt construction 10 is adapted to be detachably secured to aparticularly shaped nozzle construction 13 as the body portion 11 of theskirt construction 10 has been constructed to conform to the exteriorcontour of the particular nozzle construction 13 as fully illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3.

Formed integrally with or separately from the body portion 11 of theflexible skirt construction 10 of this invention is a surroundingcontinuous flexible wall 16 having its inner periphery 17 secured orotherwise fixed to the body portion 11 while its outer periphery 18 isinterconnected to a continuous rigidifying means 19. In order tostabilize the position of the rigidifying means 19 of the flexible wall16 relative to the inlet 20 of the conventional nozzle construction 13,a plurality of flexible or springlike stays 21 are provided that can bemolded integrally with the rigidifying means 19 or formed separatelytherefrom and otherwise have their outer ends 22 respectivelyinterconnected to the rigidifying means 19 and their inner ends 23secured to the body portion 11 of the skirt construction 10, such as bybeing received in suitable openings 24 formed in the body portion 11 asillustrated or otherwise secured thereto.

As previously stated, the flexible wall 16 of the flexible skirtconstruction of this invention performs the same function as theflexible wall fully described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No.3,605,l7l wherein it can be seen that the flexible wall 16 is soconstructed and arranged that the same has an actual length between therigidifying means 19 and the inner peripheral means 17 thereof greaterthan the straight line distance between the inner peripheral means 17 atthe support means 12 and the rigidifying means 19 in any transversecross section thereof when the rigidifying means 19 is held in theposition illustrated in FIG. 3 by the stabilizing means 21. For example,the flexible skirt 16 is illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 3 as tothe actual length thereof if the same were permitted to hang free andnot be disposed on the flat floor 25 illustrated in FIG. 3.

In order to take up such slack between the inner and outer peripheries17 and 18 of the flexible wall 16, the flexible wall 16 can be providedwith one or more continuous flutes 26 disposed between the inner andouter peripheries 17 and 18 and surrounding the inlet 20 of the supportmeans 12. If desired, the length of the flexible wall 16 between itsinner and outer peripheries 17 and 18 can be such that when the supportmeans 12 of the nozzle construction 13 has been placed against one partof the rigidifying means 19 when the rigidifying means 19 is preventedfrom movement, such as by being pushed up against a wall, the flexiblewall 16 will still have slack between the support means 12 and therigidifying means 19 in any transverse cross section thereof.

In order to provide a controlled flow of fluid along the surface meansinto the inlet 20 of the nozzle construction 13, the under surface 27 ofthe flexible wall 16 can have channel means 28 provided therein such asby being disposed between outwardly directed and spaced rib means formedon the bottom surface 27 of the flexible wall 16 in the manner fully setforth in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,171.

The stabilizing means 21 are formed of sufficiently resilient materialwhereby the same tend to maintain the rigidifying means 19 of theflexible wall 16 in the position illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 but willpermit the rigidifying means 19 to bend the stabilizing means 21 shouldthe rigidifying means 19 be impacted against a stationary object or thelike in the same manner as provided by the stabilizing means of theaforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,171. Of course, the stabilizing means21 could be springs molded with the skirt con struction or later securedthereto, as desired.

Thus, it can be seen that the flexible skirt construction 10 of thisinvention can be provided so as to be adaptable to be detachably securedto a particular style of nozzle construction 13 and be secured theretoby snap fitting to some outwardly directed contour portion thereof asthe case may be so that for each type of standard nozzle constructionfor a particular vacuum cleaner manufacturer, a particular flexibleskirt construction 10 can be provided so that the same can be detachablysecured thereto to improve the vacuum cleaning action of such nozzle.

For example, the flexible wall 16 effectively seals around the contourof the surface means 25 wherever the nozzle construction 13 is beingutilized because the flexible wall 16 can conform to such contour, suchas at the juncture between a rug and a bare floor whereas the nozzleconstruction 13 by itself obviously cannot conform to such contour andtherefore loses its vacuum cleaning power at such junctures which arenormally the main dirt catchers that should be more effectively cleanedthen the main area of the rug or the like.

Of course, it is to be understood that the flexible skirt constructions10 of this invention can be so constructed and arranged that the samecan be detachably secured to a plurality of different shaped,standardized nozzle constructions without requiring each flexible skirtconstruction to have a particular molded and contoured body portion 11.

For example, reference is now made to FIGS. 4 and 5 wherein anotherflexible skirt construction of this invention is generally indicated bythe reference numeral 10A and parts thereof similar to the flexibleskirt construction 10 previously described are indicated by likereference numerals followed by the reference letter A.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the flexible skirt construction 10A ofthis invention is also provided with a continuous flexible wall 16A andits outer rigidifying means 19A surrounding a body portion 11A thereof.However, the body portion 11A is substantially baglike and is asflexible as the flexible wall 16A except at its extreme upper end 30where the same is provided with a substantially rigid annular collar 31that is adapted to slip downwardly on the hose connection 32 of aparticular nozzle construction 13A and receive the upper ends 23A of thestabilizing stays 21A in any selected one of the openings 24A providedtherein for such purpose. In fact the stays 21A could be consumer cutoff to the desired length when the skirt construction 10A is initiallybeing assembled to the consumers particular nozzle construction 13A.

Because the main part of the body portion 11A of the flexible skirtconstruction 10 is of flexible material, the same is substantiallybag-like so as to completely surround the particular support means 12Aof the nozzle construction 13A to accept contours of many differentconfigurations. However, once a vacuum condition is created in the inlet20A of the nozzle construction 15A by the vacuum cleaner interconnectedto the hose 32, the pressure differential acting across the flexiblebody portion 1 1A causes the same to conform to the external contour ofthe body portion 12A as illustrated in full lines in FIG. 5 whereas thenatural tendency for the body portion 11A is to assume the bag-likeshape illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 5.

Thus, it can be seen that the flexible body portion 11A readily permitsthe flexible skirt means 10A of this invention to adapt itself to aplurality of different styles of nozzle constructions 13 while stillpermitting the flexible wall part 16A thereof to form the effectivesealing function previously described and as fully set forth in theaforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,171.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed asrequired by the patent statutes, other forms may be utilized, all comingwithin the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a conventional vacuum cleaner nozzle constructionthat is normally utilized by itself with a vacuum cleaner for a vacuumcleaning operation or the like comprising a support means having openingmeans therein provided with an outlet to be interconnected to a vacuumpump means and an inlet to be disposed adjacent a surface means to becleaned, and a separate member having a body portion detachably securedto said nozzle construction and having a flexible wall surrounding saidinlet to have one side thereof engage against said surface means aroundsaid inlet to substantially seal said inlet of said support means tosaid surface means, said flexible wall being so constructed and arrangedthat a pressure differential acting across the same and resulting fromsaid vacuum pump means drawing fluid from said surface means into saidinlet and out through said outlet of said opening means is adapted tocause said flexible wall to be urged toward said surface means tosubstantially seal against the same around said inlet and substantiallyconform to the contour of said surface means outboard of said inlet.

2. A nozzle construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said flexiblewall has an inner peripheral means and an outer peripheral means, saidinner peripheral means being disposed intermediate said outer peripheralmeans and said inlet of said support means, said flexible wall having asubstantially continuous rigidifying means secured to said outerperipheral means of said flexible wall and aurrounding said inlet ofsaid support means outboard of said inlet.

3. A nozzle construction as set forth in claim 2 wherein said flexiblewall has a length between said rigidifying means and said support meansgreater than the distance between said support means at said inletthereof and said rigidifying means in any transverse cross sectionthereof when said rigidifying means is in at least one position relativeto said support means.

4. A nozzle construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein said flexiblewall has at least one continuous flute between its inner and outerperipheral means and surrounding said inlet of said support means to atleast partially take up some of the slack thereof between saidrigidifying means and said support means when said rigidifying means isin said one position thereof.

5. A nozzle construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein stabilizingmeans is interconnected to said rigidifying means and said support meansto tend to maintain said rigidifying means in a certain spaced relationabout said support means when said support means and said rigidifyingmeans are disposed against said surface means.

6. A nozzle construction as set forth in claim 5 wherein saidstabilizing means is so constructed and arranged that said rigidifyingmeans can move axially relative to said inlet of said support means.

7. A nozzle construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein the slack insaid flexible wall between said support means and said rigidifying meanswhen said rigidifying means is in said one position thereof is such thatwhen said support means and said rigidifying means are disposed againstsaid surface means the support means can be moved against the inside ofsaid rigidifying means at one point thereof and said flexible wall willstill have slack between said support means and said rigidifying meansin any transverse cross section thereof.

8. A nozzle construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one sideof said flexible wall has spacing means thereon to provide a controlledfluid flow between said one side of said flexible wall and said surfacemeans.

9. A flexible skirt construction for use with a conventional vacuumcleaner nozzle construction that is normally utilized by itself with avacuum cleaner for a vacuum cleaning operation or the like wherein saidnozzle construction has a support means provided with an outlet to beinterconnected to a vacuum pump means and an inlet to be disposedadjacent a surface means to be cleaned, said flexible skirt constructioncomprising a body portion adapted to be detachably secured to saidnozzle construction and having a flexible wall adapted to surround saidinlet to have one side thereof engage against said surface means aroundsaid inlet to substantially seal said inlet of said support means tosaid surface means, said flexible wall being so constructed and arrangedthat a pressure differential acting across the same and resulting fromsaid vacuum pump means drawing fluid from said surface means into saidinlet and out through said outlet of said opening means is adapted tocause said flexible wall to be urged toward said surface means tosubstantially seal against the same around said inlet and substantiallyconform to the contour of said surface means outboard of said inlet.

10. A flexible skirt construction as set forth in claim 9 wherein saidflexible wall has an inner peripheral means and an outer peripheralmeans, said inner peripheral means being adapted to be disposedintermediate said outer peripheral means and said inlet of said supportmeans, said flexible wall having a substantially continuous rigidifyingmeans secured to said outer peripheral means of said flexible wall andbeing adapted to surround said inlet of said support means outboard ofsaid inlet.

11. A flexible skirt construction as set forth in claim 10 wherein saidflexible wall has a length between said rigidifying means and said innerperipheral means greater than the distance between said inner peripheralmeans and said rigidifying means in any transverse cross section thereofwhen said rigidifying means is in at least one position relative to saidinner peripheral means.

12. A flexible skirt construction as set forth in claim 11 wherein saidflexible wall has at least one continuous flute between its inner andouter peripheral means and being adapted to surround said inet of saidsupport means to at least partially take up some of the slack thereofbetween said rigidifying means and said inner peripheral means when saidrigidifying means is in said one position thereof.

13. A flexible skirt construction as set forth in claim 11 whereinstabilizing means is interconnected to said rigidifying means and saidbody portion to tend to maintain said rigidifying means in a certainspaced rela tion about said body portion when said rigidifying means isdisposed against said surface means.

14. A flexible skirt construction as set forth in claim 13 wherein saidstabilizing means is so constructed and arranged that said rigidifyingmeans can move axially relative to said body portion.

15. A nozzle construction as set forth in claim 11 wherein the slack insaid flexible wall between said inner peripheral means and saidrigidifying means when cross section thereof.

16. A flexible skirt construction as set forth in claim 9 wherein saidone side of said flexible wall has spacing means thereon to provide acontrolled fluid flow between said one side of said flexible wall andsaid surface means.

1. In combination, a conventional vacuum cleaner nozzle constructionthat is normally utilized by itself with a vacuum cleaner for a vacuumcleaning operation or the like comprising a support means having openingmeans therein provided with an outlet to be interconnected to a vacuumpump means and an inlet to be disposed adjacent a surface means to becleaned, and a separate member having a body portion detachably securedto said nozzle construction and having a flexible wall surrounding saidinlet to have one side thereof engage against said surface means aroundsaid inlet to substantially seal said inlet of said support means tosaid surface means, said flexible wall being so constructed and arrangedtHat a pressure differential acting across the same and resulting fromsaid vacuum pump means drawing fluid from said surface means into saidinlet and out through said outlet of said opening means is adapted tocause said flexible wall to be urged toward said surface means tosubstantially seal against the same around said inlet and substantiallyconform to the contour of said surface means outboard of said inlet. 2.A nozzle construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said flexible wallhas an inner peripheral means and an outer peripheral means, said innerperipheral means being disposed intermediate said outer peripheral meansand said inlet of said support means, said flexible wall having asubstantially continuous rigidifying means secured to said outerperipheral means of said flexible wall and aurrounding said inlet ofsaid support means outboard of said inlet.
 3. A nozzle construction asset forth in claim 2 wherein said flexible wall has a length betweensaid rigidifying means and said support means greater than the distancebetween said support means at said inlet thereof and said rigidifyingmeans in any transverse cross section thereof when said rigidifyingmeans is in at least one position relative to said support means.
 4. Anozzle construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein said flexible wallhas at least one continuous flute between its inner and outer peripheralmeans and surrounding said inlet of said support means to at leastpartially take up some of the slack thereof between said rigidifyingmeans and said support means when said rigidifying means is in said oneposition thereof.
 5. A nozzle construction as set forth in claim 3wherein stabilizing means is interconnected to said rigidifying meansand said support means to tend to maintain said rigidifying means in acertain spaced relation about said support means when said support meansand said rigidifying means are disposed against said surface means.
 6. Anozzle construction as set forth in claim 5 wherein said stabilizingmeans is so constructed and arranged that said rigidifying means canmove axially relative to said inlet of said support means.
 7. A nozzleconstruction as set forth in claim 3 wherein the slack in said flexiblewall between said support means and said rigidifying means when saidrigidifying means is in said one position thereof is such that when saidsupport means and said rigidifying means are disposed against saidsurface means the support means can be moved against the inside of saidrigidifying means at one point thereof and said flexible wall will stillhave slack between said support means and said rigidifying means in anytransverse cross section thereof.
 8. A nozzle construction as set forthin claim 1 wherein said one side of said flexible wall has spacing meansthereon to provide a controlled fluid flow between said one side of saidflexible wall and said surface means.
 9. A flexible skirt constructionfor use with a conventional vacuum cleaner nozzle construction that isnormally utilized by itself with a vacuum cleaner for a vacuum cleaningoperation or the like wherein said nozzle construction has a supportmeans provided with an outlet to be interconnected to a vacuum pumpmeans and an inlet to be disposed adjacent a surface means to becleaned, said flexible skirt construction comprising a body portionadapted to be detachably secured to said nozzle construction and havinga flexible wall adapted to surround said inlet to have one side thereofengage against said surface means around said inlet to substantiallyseal said inlet of said support means to said surface means, saidflexible wall being so constructed and arranged that a pressuredifferential acting across the same and resulting from said vacuum pumpmeans drawing fluid from said surface means into said inlet and outthrough said outlet of said opening means is adapted to cause saidflexible wall to be urged toward said surface means to substantiallyseal against the same around saId inlet and substantially conform to thecontour of said surface means outboard of said inlet.
 10. A flexibleskirt construction as set forth in claim 9 wherein said flexible wallhas an inner peripheral means and an outer peripheral means, said innerperipheral means being adapted to be disposed intermediate said outerperipheral means and said inlet of said support means, said flexiblewall having a substantially continuous rigidifying means secured to saidouter peripheral means of said flexible wall and being adapted tosurround said inlet of said support means outboard of said inlet.
 11. Aflexible skirt construction as set forth in claim 10 wherein saidflexible wall has a length between said rigidifying means and said innerperipheral means greater than the distance between said inner peripheralmeans and said rigidifying means in any transverse cross section thereofwhen said rigidifying means is in at least one position relative to saidinner peripheral means.
 12. A flexible skirt construction as set forthin claim 11 wherein said flexible wall has at least one continuous flutebetween its inner and outer peripheral means and being adapted tosurround said inet of said support means to at least partially take upsome of the slack thereof between said rigidifying means and said innerperipheral means when said rigidifying means is in said one positionthereof.
 13. A flexible skirt construction as set forth in claim 11wherein stabilizing means is interconnected to said rigidifying meansand said body portion to tend to maintain said rigidifying means in acertain spaced relation about said body portion when said rigidifyingmeans is disposed against said surface means.
 14. A flexible skirtconstruction as set forth in claim 13 wherein said stabilizing means isso constructed and arranged that said rigidifying means can move axiallyrelative to said body portion.
 15. A nozzle construction as set forth inclaim 11 wherein the slack in said flexible wall between said innerperipheral means and said rigidifying means when said rigidifying meansis in said one position thereof is such that when said support means andsaid rigidifying means are disposed against said surface means thesupport means can be moved against the inside of said rigidifying meansat one point thereof and said flexible wall will still have slackbetween said inner peripheral means and said rigidifying means in anytransverse cross section thereof.
 16. A flexible skirt construction asset forth in claim 9 wherein said one side of said flexible wall hasspacing means thereon to provide a controlled fluid flow between saidone side of said flexible wall and said surface means.